Batting

What could've been. For the Ferris State University
softball team, just four more feet could have spelled
victory but it wasn't meant to be as Ashland scored all five
of its run in the first three innings en route to a 5-4
decision this Friday (May 6) afternoon in second-round play of the
2011 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)
Softball Tournament at Northwood University's Fisher Stadium in
Midland, Mich.

Ferris State, which evens its overall record to 22-22
overall this season with the loss, will now face the Northwood
Timberwolves this Saturday (May 7) in a 10 a.m. (EDT) elimination
round encounter at Midland.

Trailing 5-3 in the top of the fourth inning, the Bulldogs just
missed clearing the fence by two feet apiece in successive at bats
by senior catcher Rachel Mueller
(Milford/Santa Clairita, Calif. Valencia) and sophomore second
baseman Lainee Clay (Wheelersburg,
Ohio).

Ashland reached Ferris State sophomore pitcher Dana Bowler
(Lockport, Ill.) for a pair of first-inning runs to claim a 2-0
lead after the initial frame. The Eagles tallied the game's
first run on an infield error before Alyssa Kelley smacked a
two-base hit into left center field for the second score. AU
would go up 3-0 in the second inning on another RBI hit
by Kelley, who singled up the middle off
Bowler.

The big inning for Ferris State came in the top of third as
the Bulldog pushed three runs across home plate on as many hits to
go with an Eagles' error. Lainee Clay reached
base on an one-out error and sophomore outfielder Morgan
Kramerich (Crest Hill, Ill./Lockport) followed with a
single to put two runners on. A sacrifice bunt by senior
outfielder Colleen Roney
(Wheaton, Ill./Glen Ellyn Glenbard South) advanced
both runners up a base before junior third baseman Makenzi
Peterson (Big Rapids) belted an offering by Ashland
hurler Emlyn Knerem to left center for a two-RBI double.
Junior first baseman Chelsea
Morris (Jenison) proceeded to drive in
Peterson with a run-scoring single to left
field.

With the game tied at 3-3, Ashland would break the deadlock
in the bottom half of the third by scoring twice on a pair
of base hits. With two outs and the bases loaded,
Brianna Woody singled into left centerfield as
junior leftfielder Stephanie
Dusendang's (Comstock Park/Rockford) diving catch
attempt came up short.

The Bulldogs picked up an earned run in the top of the fourth to
draw within 5-4 as Lainee Clay's single to
center field scored Rachel Mueller, who cracked a
two-out double which hit off the top portion of the fence in left
field. Both Clay and
Mueller came within two feet apiece
of getting an opportunity to round the bases.

Both pitchers, Ferris State's Dana Bowler
(15-10) and Ashland's Emily Knerem (24-6), held the hitters in
check for the remainder although an one-out double by
Lainee Clay in the top of the seventh put the
game-tying run on second. Unfortunately for FSU, Ashland
enticed the final two outs as Morgan Kramerich
filed out and Colleen Roney grounded out to
Knerem to end the game.

Lainee Clay picked up a pair of hits to pace
Ferris State, which matched Ashland's six team
hits. Dana Bowler suffered the loss as she
fanned two and walked three. Emily Knerem earned the win with
eight strikeouts for Ashland, which is now 31-15 overall this
campaign.